Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-26

made to those men in the fields. Thers
were wiseacres that night in bethlehem
and Jerusalem snoring in deep sleep, and
there were salaried officers Of government,
who, hearing OF il afterward may, have
thought that they ought to have had the
first news of such great event,
some one dismounting from q
swift camel at their door and knocking till
at some sentinels question, who comes
therew the great ones of the palace might
have been told Of the celestial arrival. No
the shepherds heard the first two bars oI
the music, the first in the major key and
the last in the subdued minor. GLORY tt
God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will TO men," All, yes; the fields
were hcnored. The old shepherds with
plaid and crook have for the most part
vanished, but We have grazing-ouI
United States pasture fields on which ar.
about forty-fye million Sheppard al
their keepers ought TO follow the shep
herds OF my text, and all those who toll in
fields, all wine -pressers, all orchardists, al
husbandmen
PRODUCTS OF THk Flkl-lS-
Not only that Christmas night, but al
up and down the worlds history God ha'
been honoring the fields. Nearly all tn,
Messiahs OF reform, and literature, ant
eloquence, and law, and benevolence, have
come from the fields. Washington from
the fields. jefferson from the fields. The
Presidential martyrs, Garfield and Lin
coin, from the nelds. Henry Clay from
the fields. Daniel Webster from the
fields Martin Luther from the fields.
And before this world is right the over
flowing populations OF our crowded cities
will have TO take Ia the fields. Instead o
ten merchants in rivalry IA to who shall
sell that one apple, We want at least eight
of them TO 20 out and raise apples. In.
stead of ten merchants desiring to sell that
one bushel OF wheat, We want at least
eight of them TO 20 out and raise wheat
The world wants now more hard hands,
more bronzed cheeks, more muscular
arms. To the fields God honored them
when lie woke up the shepherds by the
midnight anthem, and He will, while the
world lasts, continue 10 honor the fields
When the shepherds crook wa
that famous night stood against
the wall of the Bethlehem kahn
il was prophecy OF the time when thresh
er's tlail, and farmers plough, and wood
mans axe, and ox's yoke, and sheaf bind
er's rake shall surrender TO the God whC
made the country ~ man made the town
Behold also that on that Christmas night
God honored motherhood Two angels or
their wings might have brought an infant
Saviour 10 Bethlehem without Mary's be
ing there al all When the villagers, or
the morning Of December 26, awoke, by
divine arrangement and in some unex
planned way, the child Jesus might hav'
been found in some comfortable cradle o
the vllsge. But no, no! Motherhood io'
all time was to he consecrated, and one o
the tenderest revelations was To be tn,
maternal relation, and one of the sweetest
words mother" In all ages God has hon
ored good motherhood. John Wesley hat
good mother, St Bernard had goot
mother, Samuel Budget a good mother
Doddridge good mother, Walter Scott {
good mother, Benjamin West yooC
mother.
CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.
In great audience, most of whom wer'
Christians, ! asked that all those who hat
been blessed of Christian mothers to arise
aud almost the entire assembly stood up
Don't you gee how important IL is that nj
motherhood I've consecratedP Why die
Titan, the Italian artist, when he sketchet
the Madonna, make il an Italian face
Why did Rubeps, the German artist, in hi
Madonna, make it a German face? Why
did Joshua Reynolds, the English artist
in his Madonna, make il an English face
Why aid Murillo, the Spanish artist, IN
his Madonna, make il Spanish face
never heard, but think they took theil
own mothers as the type Of Mary th,
mother Of Christ. When you hear som'
one in sermon or oration speak Ia
the abstract of good, faithful, hon
est mother your eyes All up with
tears while you say TO yourself, that wal
my mother. The first word child utter,
is apt to he, Mother" and the old mar
in his dying dream calls, Mother
mother ~ II matters not whether che wa,
brought up in the surroundings OF n city
and in affiuent home, aud was dressed ap
propriately with reference 10 the demand'
Of modern life, or whether she wore th'
old time cap, and great round spectacles
and apron Of her own make, and knit yoni
socks with her own needles seated by thu
broad fireplace, with great back log ablazt
on a winter night II matters not how
many wrinkles crossed and recrossed hel
face, or how much her shoulders stOOpet
with the burdens of long life, if you
painted Madonna hers would be th'
face. What gentle hand she bad wher
we were sick, and what voice TO sooth,
pain, and was there any one who could N
fill up room with peace, and purity, ane
light? And what rad day that WA
when we came home and che could gree
US not, for her lips were forever still
WILL NEVER CONE BACK.
Come back, mother, this Christmas day
and take your old place, and as ten, o.
twenty, or fifty years ago; come and oper
the old Bible you used 10, read aud knee
in the same place where you nsed 10 pray
and look upon us a. Of old when yor
wished us Merry Christmas or Hsppy
New Year But, no! That would not b.
fair TO call you back. You had tronble
enough, aud aches enough, and bereave
ments enough while yOu were here. TaTy
by the throne mother till We Join yor
there. your prayers all answered, and IL
the eternal homestead Of our God we shal
again keep Christmas jubilee together
But speak from your thrones
all you glorifed mothers, ant
say to all thesa, your sons and daughters,
words OF love, Of warning, words Of cheer
They need your voice., for they have trav
eIIed far and with many q heart-breai
since you len them, and you do we'll q
cali from the heights Of heaven TO the val
Ieys Of the earth. Hail, enthroned anoa-
try We are coming Keep a placs 10
us rigdt beside you at the banquet.
SLOW footed ycAr1' More s~ifliy Tun
Into the gold ~ thai Urse tting sun.
HOmesick Ne are for thee,
Calm land beyond the s.a"
The Board Of Health.
WHEELING, December %, 1857.
To Gl EiaT o| III R>gLStv,
II you will allow one Of your readers u